


A Ring and A Bargain

by Nirshka



Category: Dark Souls (Video Games), Dark Souls III
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Kinda, Reader-Insert, and more happy between them, greirat and the chosen undead should have more interactions, so i fixed that....a bit, the rest of the characters are just mentioned tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 09:25:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14185890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nirshka/pseuds/Nirshka
Summary: " You always knew that's what he was looking for: death and hopefully peace with it. But every time you agreed to send him out to pillage, a small hope would linger that Greirat would come back to that cold but still welcoming shrine. To you."





	A Ring and A Bargain

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically a couple of drabbles that I had in my mind as I was playing through dark souls 3 once again. Greirat is probably my favorite NPC, his quest and story are one of the saddest for me. I wanted to write some more interactions between him and the main character along with some closure.  
> This is also my first time writing a fic, so I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)

 

 

 

**A Ring**

 

“You’re really sure you want me to keep this ring?”

“It means... nothing to me, not anymore at least. It’s just a trinket I found, it has no meaning and no use anymore, just a pretty jewell, you can keep it, surely you’ll find some use for it”

You don’t have much use for the ring, but you’re fond of Greirat and will keep it and maybe even wear it for now, but you can feel the sorrow in his words. The ring had meaning or at least it should’ve, to Loretta. If only you weren’t too late…

“Mind if I sit with you?”

“If that’s what you wish, please, welcome to my humble abode!”, Greirat gestures to his dusty, stony corner at the shrine and chuckles at his own jest as you sit beside him.

To be fair, you still have to look for the so-called Lords of Cinder, but you feel the need to at least try and ease some pain from this poor soul. You inspect the ring in your hands, you feel some kind of warmth emanating from it, it makes you feel... comfortable and almost at peace.

“How was she?”, you didn’t mean to ask it out loud, but feeling this warmth that wasn’t meant for you, you feel compelled to know more of this woman.

“Who?”, Greirat is pulled from his own thoughts and seems to finally remember you’re right beside him, inspecting the ring, “Oh… Loretta… She was a sweet woman, she’d give me shelter you know? Every time I’d come back from prowling, with new trinkets I’d found that would be useful for the people in the settlement. The good ones of course! There would be no treasure for those damn church fanatics! But I’m losing myself here... Loretta..aah dear Loretta, she deserved a better place and someone to protect her better, not some petty rat like me!”

“Was that what this ring was meant for? To protect her?”

“Comfort at least… but I was too late.”, you feel the sorrow creeping on Greirat once again and feel guilty for bringing up the subject.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

“Oh no, it’s fine, talking helps. Thank you really, not only for this but for freeing me and offering me shelter, it’s rare to find good people around these parts nowadays if they aren’t dead or hollowed, they’re cursed and have only greed in their hearts. I think I’ll stay here for now, if you don’t mind of course! After all, I still have my part of the bargain to uphold.”

“It’s a deal then!”, you say as you get back up and put the ring back in one of your pockets, “I’ll be back, those Lords won’t come to their thrones by themselves it seems!”

“Please do and be careful.”

You smile. Having someone to actually come back to and talk with seems weird and out of place in this world, but it would feel good to have people like that and it’d make this journey a little bit lighter in your heart.

 

 

* * *

 

**A Bargain**

 

“Greirat The Thief….that’s not very original…”, you say with a smirk.

Greirat chuckles “Well we’re simple people, your Highness, you can’t expect big words from the Settlement. But I was the best, that I was!”

“Until you got caught! I’m not sure I want to go through the trouble of freeing you again…”, you ponder exaggerating a thinking posture.

“Those damn dogs, you think you’ve rid yourself of them and then they just appear out of nowhere! Besides… it’s the Undead Settlement, I know it from inside out, more than I would like to if I can be honest. I can bring valuable and useful treasure for you, instead of sitting around and doing nothing and I do still have my side of the bargain to fulfill!”

You ponder some more… It’s not like you don’t trust him or his thieving skills, but you’ve grown too fond of Greirat and don’t want any harm to come to him, it’s plain he had hard times, so why can’t he just spend to rest of his life in a secure place where no harm will come to him? On the other hand, you don’t want him to feel miserable in this place and it’s his hometown, he surely knows his way around, you were also planning on exploring the settlement for some more time since you’re not feeling like dealing with that outrider knight blocking your way. Plus you still need to free Irina so, in short, you won’t be very far and you could more or less keep an eye on Greirat.

“Alright… you’re free to do what you wish, it’s not like you’re a prisoner here. I’ll be close by, if you need me, shout very loudly”

“Ah sure, I shall call you and all nearby foul monsters that are more than ready to tear me apart!”, he snickered, “Please, go on your way, I’ll be more than safe.”

“...I could go with you and help you out…”, you say fidgeting with the bits of the sleeves that show underneath your armor. Greirat’s head now turns to you and you feel his eyes on you, examining you.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… Like I said, I’m going there as well, so I could just join you.”

“Are you...afraid? Of what?”

You fidget some more, clearly embarrassed now, “Well...one part, for your safety, but I’m also not looking forward to meeting that Outrider Knight again, they creep me out and dying by their hands is one of the worst ways to go, even if you come back again!”

Greirat looks at you for a few seconds until he bursts out laughing, making your face grow even redder than before, is he really making fun of you?? Even if it leaves you mildly annoyed, you enjoy his laughter even more. It sounds so good and pure.

“Oh, I apologize, I’m not making fun of you, it’s just I never thought to see or even hear the one they call the Ashen One feeling something like fear! It makes you all more human.”

“Is...is that bad? I am human…”, you can’t help but feel a certain discomfort in your chest, you like spending time with Greirat and you wouldn’t want for something to ruin that.

“Oooh, no no no, dear me, of course not! Up until now you felt just so out of reach, like you’re in a whole other plane of existence, you’re so strong and it’s easy to forget you’re a simple human, like me, but oh, how much braver, treading this world, fighting it and trying to change its course.”, he seems to be having trouble with is words and by his movements, really flustered.

“It’s ok, I think I understand what you mean. I hope, then, that that means we’re at the same level then, I don’t want you to see me as someone you’re working or doing favors for.”

“What would you want us to be then? I’m still a petty thief, someone you shouldn’t waste your time with really…”

“Friends”, you say, interrupting him, “I could use a friend in this weird place.”

Greirat looks at you, with that headgear of his, you can’t clearly tell, but by the sound of his voice, it feels like he’s smiling beneath it.

“Friends it is!”

“Friends it is.”, you repeat, beaming back at him.

“I shall be off then and you should do the same, whenever you’re ready to face that Outrider Knight of yours. Please be safe, my friend and I shall have some new trinkets and treasure for you when you get back!”

 

* * *

 

 

**A Rest**

 

The once cold and empty shrine as now become more and more lively, after freeing Irina, you’ve offered a place for her. Also, at the Undead Settlement, you found a master pyromancer that promptly offered his help and to teach you in exchange for shelter. In your explorations through the road of sacrifices you’ve met a couple on their own quest, Anri and Horace, even if they’re not interested in shelter, they do stop by from time to time to share the news with you. You also met by accident a sorcery scholar, while exploring ruins filled with enemies, who after inspecting you, decided to teach you in exchange for new magic scrolls you could find in your journeys.

Upon returning to the shrine, you take some time to go to everyone that now takes shelter in this place of safety to check on them or if they need something. You want to rest very badly, but before that, you have some cinders to return to their rightful throne. The so-called Abyss Watchers weren’t as much of a challenge as you were expecting them to be, even if they were relentless and would refuse to die, you could easily entice them against each other so that you could focus on a single target. It was a sad fight really, driven mad, fighting each other over and over... In fact, you feel like, in a way, you’ve freed them.

Being done with that, you walk up to your usual place, you do it unconsciously by now really, before you’re aware, you end up by Greirat’s spot and join him for a few minutes, hours, sometimes you’re too exhausted and fall asleep without realizing it. The first times it happened you felt too embarrassed and ashamed for taking up his space, but Greirat always dismissed it and started leaving some blankets the next times you came.

“I’m glad you feel comfortable here”, he said, “And even asleep, your company is calming. I like to go over my wares and caring for them knowing that you’re safe and in peace.”

You smile at the memory of that, from here, you can still hear the Shrine Maiden humming some unknown lullaby to herself. Her voice is beautiful and calming, even with the sounds of Andre’s hammering, you wave as you pass him by and finally settle yourself by Greirat’s side.

“Ah, you’re back and in good health I see! Are you in the need of supplies, you can look over my wares if you wish to.”

“No need, not now at least, thank you.”, you answer as you sit by him. “For now only some company, if I’m not bothering you of course!”

“Always welcome!  Tell me, why do you always come to me? New people came by and they’re surely more interesting than me. They have so much to teach you!”

You ponder for a few seconds, you’ve never given much thought to it. It was such an instant connection that you felt towards him, it’s hard to put it into words.

“Because you're real, you're palpable. I feel we're alike. I don’t know how to explain really, but I’ve always felt better with you by my side. Besides I talk with the others as well!”, you say as you think about it. True there are more people around here now, but Greirat still feels more genuine and honest, “I’m no scholar nor magician like them. I don’t mind them and I do speak with them!”

“Ah..yes but I feel they're jealous of how much time you spend with me!”,  Greirat chuckles and you join him.

 

“Well, I guess they have to get used to that!”

 

“Then, by all means, friend, make yourself comfortable and tell me of your troubles”

You smile at him as you get more at ease around the blankets he left for you. Laying down you start describing your fight against the doomed watchers and how those wraiths felt scarier than them. As you speak, Greirat strokes your hair in easy and soft movements, humming in approval and asking some questions here and there. Before you know it, all sounds and movement from the shrine become more distant. All, but Greirat’s warmth, disappears as you fall into a dreamless and peaceful sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**A Promise**

  

You always knew that's what he was looking for: death and hopefully peace with it. But every time you agreed to send him out to pillage, a small hope would linger that Greirat would come back to that cold but still welcoming shrine. _To you_.You’d hope that your friendship would save him from his sorrow. His body lays still in your arms now. You should be used to the harshness of this world by now, at how selfish it is. You've lost people before, why would this one be different?

You could lie to yourself and say that his pillaging was useful for you, but no, it's your compassion, the love you still feel for some of the lost and kind souls that live in this world. It seems pathetic to still have such warm feelings inside you when you're living, stuck to be precise, in a dying world.

You can't help it though, you can't help but gather your friend's body as you warp back to the shrine, back home. You'd find a good resting place for Greirat, it was the least you could do, among all the unknown graves near the shrine, it would be somewhat comforting to at least have one marked grave, a place where you could still visit and remember him.

Maybe that’s all this is about, to be able to remember, to be able to love and save a place for it in your heart. That's what it means to be the Ashen One, the chosen undead: to fight for a new beginning, to have no fear of the tears and pain in your heart that threatens to break you apart. You're meant to bring a new age to this world, up until now you thought it was by fighting and lose your very soul and spirit with every death, every kill and every step of the way. But no, right at that moment, when you're filled with sorrow for Greirat, you finally understand it.

"But I don't want to sit around and die a petty rat."

Neither do you, you'll get up, clean the tears and face the darkness once again and bring this world a new beginning.


End file.
